Little India joins in celebration of Diwali
Hindus in Little India, at Gerrard St. and Coxwell Ave., joined other South Asians in ringing in the year 2060.
Diwali, Nov. 1-3, is an opportunity to pray, celebrate and take advantage of sales on everything from jewelry to saris.
While Diwali, known as the Festival of Lights, marks the Hindu New Year, it is celebrated by people of many cultures and religions.
"It’s like a Christmas atmosphere," said Balwant "B.J." Jajj, a member of the Gerrard India Bazaar Business Improvement Area, which helped promote the festival in Little India.
"Diwali is celebrated by Sikhs and Hindus — Diwali is becoming more popular as it becomes more well known."
Jajj said the celebration is also a way to bring something positive into a world that sometimes seems too negative.
"In an uncertain world, these festivals are an opportunity to understand (different cultures and faiths). The community becomes closer. It builds up stronger bridges, which is more required than ever," Jajj said.
The celebration of Diwali includes gift giving and feasting on homemade Indian sweets.
Observers pray for goodness, prosperity and wealth and make offerings in their homes or temples of milk, honey, clarified butter, almonds and pistachios to the goddess Laxmi.
They light candles, hence the name Festival of Lights, which symbolizes new beginnings. There are many legends and myths associated with the festival, however the underlying spirit is a message of triumph of good over evil and light over darkness.
Jajj said the festival is the perfect way for residents and businesses to celebrate the expansion of the area and the introduction of new Canadians from varied backgrounds.
Though the area was a shadow of its former self three decades ago, it has developed into tourist attraction where visitors can find food and merchandise from countries including India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
"In the late-‘70s this area was completely dead with empty stores. Those who started here reinvested in the area," said Jajj, who owns B.J. Supermarket on Gerrard, which he started in the early 1980s.
"The Gerrard India Bazaar started in ’75 with a theatre where people came to see their favourite Hindi movies. Then a few stores, a restaurant and a fabric store opened. Now we have the whole South Asian continent (represented here)."
"When I started the store, I only sold ethnic products…now I serve as a community store with bread, milk, toothpaste and specialty products under one roof," he said.
"I personally feel my success is based on the community, both Anglo Saxons and the ethnic community," concluded Jajj.
A special launch of the festival was held on Nov. 1, at New Haandi 2000 Restaurant. Guests included police from 55 Division, MPPs Marilyn Churley, Maria Minna and Michael Prue, representatives from three banks, city councillors Jack Layton and Sandra Bussin and former councillor and likely mayoral candidate Tom Jakobek.
